Moscow Expels Five Polish Diplomats After Russians Expelled By Warsaw

Russia has expelled five staff members at Poland’s embassy in Moscow in a tit-for-tat move after Warsaw declared three Russian diplomats in Poland personae non gratae for violating their diplomatic status.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on April 23 it had summoned Poland’s ambassador to Russia, Krzysztof Krajewski, to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, where he was informed of the decision.

It said the move, which gives the Polish diplomats until May 15 to leave Russia, was made because Warsaw was “consciously pursuing a course towards the further degradation and destruction of our bilateral relations.”

The Polish Foreign Ministry expelled the three Russian Embassy staff members on April 15 for violating their diplomatic status and “conducting activities harmful to Poland.”